Monday, 28 September 2015

$8m drive by maritime sector to ease manpower shortage

The maritime sector is pumping more funds into easing its manpower shortage, with a tripartite committee earmarking $8 million for a new job portal, training awards and incentives, as well as tapping SkillsFuture programmes.

Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) chief executive Andrew Tan said: "With manpower, it's not something for which you can just turn on the tap and it comes out. You have to spend years building a pipeline."

In the sector's first effort to receive help and funding under SkillsFuture - a government initiative to get Singaporean workers to upgrade themselves - an Earn- and-Learn programme starting next year will place fresh polytechnic graduates in jobs as port operations officers, seafaring officers and marine engineers.

Singaporeans will receive an incentive of $5,000 for completing the year-long training programme, while participating employers will be eligible for grants of up to $15,000 per trainee.Mr Jervyn Koo, 32, a PSA Singapore assistant manager in stowage planning, said of the SkillsFuture support: "This will ensure new employees are well-equipped for the future as we introduce more advanced technology, including automated cranes and automated guided vehicles."

The MPA is also investing $4 million in a new job centre and portal, the Maritime Singapore Connect Office, which will open next year.

Another $4 million will go towards subsidies and cash awards for seafarers-in-training.

From next month, the MPA will reimburse shipping firms up to half the monthly allowances they pay Singaporean cadets, who will get awards of up to $3,000 for completing the various training stages.